Huh, this is awesome, it is definately one of the best pictured information on post war trad. hot rodding. I love the amount of detailed pictures on flatheads, showing components used. It also gives a very good impression of the "spirit" back then and one can almost smell the gasoline. Thank you for sharing these wonderfull memories with us.
The text did not appear on the previous post so here it is again. The no. 58C roadster was the entry of the Vogel Bros. (Pasadena Roadster Club). It was a highly technical build for the times. It had a tube frame and independent suspension. In 1949 this car ran in the Lakester class, not the roadster class. I knew Milt Vogel, who was often a visitor to evenings at Carpenter's drive-in (Arcadia, California). He was a sharp guy who, my memory seems to recall was a Caltech student. After they quit racing this car Don Blair (Blair's Speed Shop) acquired it. Holly Hedrich and the Blair crew reworked the roadster and raced it at the Santa Ana drags and at Bonneville. I attached a page from one of my books showing the roadster in 1948. Roadster no. 390 was Elmer Omohundro's (Pasadena Roadster Club) entry. It appears that the no.430 entry of McNatt & McCormick was entered under Leland McCormick's SCTA membership number. Leland was in the Gophers Club. and had run a '32 roadster previously. Mike - Perhaps you have some info that can indicate if this is correct. Good memories - Don
Hey Don, hello there again. At the risk of bothering you unnecessarily.....because all of your posts rock without my input....promise you that......but.....do you know anything regarding Phil Wieand, and the modified T roadster that he ran ? Muroc, Mirage, Carrell Speedway..... etc ? I know he had the Rajo overhead roadster that he broke his back in....but there is another later car maybe....or maybe not.....that says WIEAND SPECIAL on its cowl. .....maybe same car....following pictures....also run by Phil Wieand. The El Mirage Time Trial issue has a sketch of the top two car photos circa 1950......but the lower two photos were supposedly from '47,'48. If same car....it obviously had some drastic motor-vation changes after its lakes ventures. There isn't really any information out there.....without your help. Just thought I'd ask. Thanks again, for all that you do....and I love seeing what you always share.
Just keeps getting better and better...Pasadena was a distinctive town, mountains in the background, the housing styles, really shows in these pictures...
Hello kidcampell71...not sure I can provide any real info regarding the Phil Wieand Special, but I will throw out what I have. Hopefully it will be of some help. If not, then it will just make it "clear as mud"!! The car also appears on the June 11-12 1949 S.C.T.A. program. I've also scanned the inside page that has a description of the car on the cover. I've also scanned a copy of the April 24-25 1948 program with a mention of the car in it. As I'm sure you know Don is the real authority here!! Hopefully he can provide you with some info. This is what the H.A.M.B. is all about, sharing info!!
Hello Don...as always good to see your expert comments! And as always, you are absolutely correct in your assumptions! I'ts amazing how many guy's you have mentioned that my Dad also knew. Milt Vogel and my Dad were also good friends. In my Dad's later years we took up competitive sail boat racing. We had a boat, and Milt also had a one off custom boat that he had built. Beautiful boat called Apogee. Means farthest out. He docked it in front of his house in Hunting Harbor, Calif. My Dad would sometimes sail on the boat with Milt. I believe he also attended M.I.T. As you said, very intelligent man. Don, did you see the post on page 7 with the reference to Sammy Brolliar? Just wondering. I hope you will continue to make comments! I look forward to them! Thank you!
Here a a couple of photos of Phil Weiand's track roadster. Bud Van Mannen drove the roadster at the CRA (California Roadster Assn.) track races starting in 1946. I believe that Bud told me that he had built the '27 T roadster to race on the track. The first photo shows the car at Phil's business. Bud is standing behind Phil by the roadster. The rear of the Weiand business is shown on the right of the photo. The house behind was where Phil and his Mother lived. The racing photo shows Bud (64) on the outside with Archie Tipton (45) and Slim Mathis (27) down low. Note that the #27 roadster was Karl and Veda Orr's '32 roadster, often seen pictured in the later black and white color paint. The view of the #4 car next was Bud receiving the award after winning the Trophy Dash. It shows the roadster before the new look. The last photo shows Bud receiving trophies for the Main Event win. The presenter was movie actor/dancer Donald O,Connor. These photos were given to me by Bud Van Mannen. I am not sure if the very nice looking #4 was a rebuild of the original car or a new build. Remember that the track roadsters often got "bent" and were continually being rebuilt. Question: The initial number on the car was #60. Yam Oka was using #60 in 1946. Yam's brother was a long time Weiand employee. Perhaps the roadster was originally built by Yam and Harry Oka. Just a guess without researching on my part.
Correction - I made an error. I misspelled Bud's name. It is Bud Van Maanen. He was a member of the Outriders club. He raced his roadster before the war and jumped into track roadster racing after the war. His performances with Phil Weiand's roadster in the1946 CRA races earned the Weiand roadster the # 4 for the next season (Jack McGrath earned the # 1) He told me that they had built a new car after the early races The evolution of the track roadsters in the first years very quick; from street or lakes style roadsters to true track racers. The guys learned quickly and many of them went on to success in the midget, big car and Indy car racing. Don
Here's Bud's roadster around '41. Probably one of your photos Don. Harley Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Hi Harley Here is the photo page from my book of Bud's roadster in 1941. He was in the process of "fixing it up". A later photo in the book shows it in 1942 after cleaning it up. The roadster was his daily driver then, as they were for most of the hot rodders. They worked on them as they drove them. Note that a number of the guys in the Outriders club jumped into track roadster racing, including Manuel Ayulo and Jim Rathmann. Don .
Great thread. Hey Rockerhead, maybe it has already been mentioned but could you share the titles of the books you have written ? I would be interested in getting copies, you obviously have a lot of insider information, fascinating.
My advice: buy them all! Every one is full of incredible pictures and history, well produced, and well written!
Again it's just amazing how one picture, one sentence, or one comment can set the "ball rolling"!!! I just love the way you guy's feed off each other! Truly fantastic!! I can only hope you continue to do so. Thank you! A little time, so I will again throw some out, and you guy's keep it going!! The first picture is of my Dad and my Sister. And for those of you that have been following the thread, in the background is the "tub killer"!!! At least Dad isn't behind it!! Also throwing in some S.C.T.A timing program pages for "flavor". As always, thank you for the comments and hope you enjoy.
Thanks for asking. I have published 8 hot rod history books. I still have 3 titles in stock. They are: Old Hot Rods Scrapbook - 600 photos from the 1930s to 1950s Hot Rods As They Were - Shows the different styles of hot rods in the 1940s and 1950s (only about 6 left) Supercharged Gas Coupes - The history of the blown gas coupes 1960s All hardcover books The books have lots of photos that show the styles and looks of the hot rods back in those early days. All the photos in the early hot rod books are old photos from rodders' albums or shoeboxes. The blown gasser book also includes strip photographers photos. Many guys have commented that they use the photos for ideas on their projects. I have tried to accurately explain the how and why things happened back then. It was a great time. I raced at the dry lakes starting in 1948 and the drags starting in 1950 thru to 1972. I was from the Pasadena area and raced mostly in the Southern California area. If you have questions, please call or email - 760-728-5557, montysbooks@nethere.com montgomeryhotrodbooks.com Also Ebay or Amazon
If I ever started a car club, Mr. Montgomery's books (and this thread) would be required reading. @Rockerhead, my 10-year old daughter and I flip through one of your books almost every night...are there plans for another? She (okay, we) really enjoy them!
Thank you for your comment. I have had so much fun meeting or hearing from people interested in the early days of hot rodding. As most of you know I am not a writer, I was an engineer in my "real" life. But as the interest built in the early hot rod days and the traditional hot rods, I thought it would be good to present the old photos that guys had in their albums or shoeboxes. As I took very few pictures back then I had to borrow from all the guys I knew and others that I met. I learned that many old hot rodders' photos were discarded after they passed away or were divorced. I did the first book, with hopes that it would recoup my costs, but the purpose was to get the photos out for all to see. I also wanted to show and tell about hot rodding as accurately as possible. I especially enjoyed seeing many of them because I knew many of the guys or cars in them. I now appreciate all the guys who say that they use the photos in the books for ideas in building traditional hot rods. I believe that there will be no more books. I have told everything that I know. I have enjoyed the HAMB for all the interesting posts and obvious knowledge many of the posters have. I have learned a lot on here. Example. woodiemike's post noting that his Father was a good friend with Milt Vogel who I had not seen since about 1951 filled in a little about what happened with Milt. And his reference to his parents meeting at the Moonlight Rollerway in Pasadena brought back Pasadena memories. Once again I really appreciate all the nice comments that have been throw my way. This is a great hobby. Don
Hey Jimmy...I found a picture [ad actually] of the Spurgin & Giovanine car when it was 15A. Not that great of a picture, but at least it's something!! Stumbled across it in a Hot Rod Magazine from June 1950 that I have. Obviously the car is for sale here. Check out that compression, WOW! Hope you enjoy what little there is here!
Thought I would post some interesting pictures of a "streamliner" that appeared on the cover of S.C.T.A. October 22-23 1949, along with a article inside, and it also graces the cover of Hot Rod Magazine December 1949. There is also an article about the Pasadena Roadster Reliability Run from the same S.C.T.A. program dated October 22-23 1949. Hopefully Richard, and Fogger will enjoy this article.
Well here we go again! A few cool pictures, and some Official Inspection Tags [ if that was what they were called] from 1948/49 that belonged to my Dad. Car 390 B belonged to Elmer Omohundro, who was mentioned in the thread earlier. As always good to hear your comments, keep the ball rolling, and enjoy!!
Anyone care to venture an idea of how many street roadsters were on the roads of LA during the '46 '47 '48 '49 years that did or did not run at the lakes? I would guess about a 1000 or more?? Just curious as my roadster had crumpled newspaper pieces from LA Examiner in 1947. It must have been there somewhere during the heyday but it just looks like an ordinary rod. I love the model t roadster. It almost looks like a prewar roadster. Just great, mechanical brakes and all. Thanks for posting all of this.
Love the odd tyres on the T one Firestone MC on the far side! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Nice engine and front suspension set up. I suppose they're long gone now though right? "I need my mirror boy"
woodiemike, Just wanted to let you know I am still watching and enjoying every post (yours and the others). What a great gift this is to the Hot Rod community!Thanks again for sharing!
woodiemike, you deserve some sort of award for this thread! One of the all-time greats on the HAMB! Well played, sir!
Hello jmiller1918 and the39guy. I want to thank both of you for the fine comments you have made! Like I have said in the past, I am more than happy to share what I have in my possession. Especially with all of you that appreciate what I have. Again I feel it's history that needs to be shared to all that enjoy the hobby. Like Don Montgomery say's, it's a great hobby! I am really glad that so many have enjoyed the thread, and check daily!! As I have also said in the past, I'm plowing through as fast as I can. On that note, I have some timing tags, trophy, and S.C.T.A. membership cards from 1948 and 1949. The trophy reads; 2nd "C" mod roadster. July 1950 145.39mph. I like to also post not only the cars, but any thing that pertains to the period that can give a glimpse into the things they had to do, or have, or use. Hope you also enjoy.
The Jalopy Journal
